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May 27, 2009

<font color=red>BREAKING NEWS: </font>Federal judge sentences Mass to 2 years

A federal judge in Muskogee has sentenced former state lawmaker Mike Mass to two years in prison for his role in a kickback scheme.

U.S. District Judge Ronald White was also scheduled Wednesday morning to sentence Kiowa businessman Steve Phipps, who admitted he paid three legislators kickbacks to steer state taxpayer money toward his companies.

Mass pleaded guilty to mail fraud for allegedly conspiring with ex-Sen. Gene Stipe and others to defraud taxpayers through improper use of economic development funds appropriated by the Legislature.

Phipps was a key witness for the federal government in that case and in the case against former State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan.

McMahan was sentenced in January to eight years and one month for accepting bribes from Phipps, who was a longtime business partner of Stipe.

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